CRICKET
2nd ODI: Malan and De Kock seal series win
The superb batting performance from the openers helped South Africa to register a series win over India after completing a comfortable victory in the 2nd match.
South Africa chased down the target 289 runs comfortably with 7 wickets in hand.
India 50 overs 287-6
Pant 85 (71) Shamsi 2-37 Rahul 55 (79) Markram. 1-34
South Africa 48. 1 overs 288-3
Malan 91 (108) Bumrah 1-37. De Kock 78 (66) Thakur 1-35
A magnificent and aggressive fifty from Quinton de Kock followed by a well-paced half-century from Janneman Malan helped South Africa to chase down the target of 288 convincingly.
This was the fourth straight loss for the Indian team on this tour as South Africa wins the ODI series.
Due to the brilliant performance by the South African side, the outstanding knock of Rishabh Pant goes in vain.
The Indian middle-order failed to perform once again.
India was eyeing 300 plus but South African bowlers were brilliant in the middle overs to disturb the momentum of team India and to restrict them under the 300 runs mark.
Malan and de Kock’s superb opening stand
Janeman Malan and Quinton de Kock set the tone early for the big chase by playing aggressive cricket in the beginning.
De Kock took the charge against every bowler he faced early on.
Janeman Malan and de Kock played superb knocks to give a good start to the innings, they smashed an outstanding partnership of 132 runs for the first wicket.
De Kock scored 78 runs while Malan felt just 9 runs short of a well-deserved hundred.
He was bowled out by Jasprit Bumrah after scoring 91 runs.
South Africa never looked under pressure in their entire chase.
South Africa lost two quick wickets in the 34th and 35th over of the innings that gave the Indian team some hope to come back into the match but Markram and Rassie van der Dussen vanished their hopes and led South Africa to a comfortable series win.
Both the batters, Markram and Rassie van der Dussen reminded unbeaten on 37 runs each to get their side over the line.
South Africa has now taken an unaccessible lead of 2-0 in the 3 match ODI series against India and they will be looking to make it 3-0 by winning the last match of the series.
The Indian skipper, KL Rahul had a very lucky day as he got three chances – on 8, 27, and 42 but on all three occasions he survived.
He played an anchor role while Pant was striking the ball well on the other end.
Pant scored his career-best score but unfortunately, he failed to score his maiden ODI hundred.
He smashed some great sixes against Shamsi but in the end, Shamsi had the last laugh though as he dismissed Pant on 85 runs.
India lost some quick wickets after the departure of Rahul and Pant.
The middle-order failed again to deliver but in the death overs, Shardul Thakur played some elegant shots in his unbeaten knock of 40 runs off 38 balls.
Ashwin also supported him by scoring 25 runs off 24 balls in the end.